ESPN: Early Ride on the Coaching Carousel

Gossip starting LATE this year it seems. Here is the run down on current coaching situation from ESPN Weekend Dime.

This is what ESPN has to say about Toronto and Casey - although it is more about Colangelo:

The Raptors are limping to the end of a frustrating fifth straight season out of the playoffs, after coming into 2012-13 harboring genuine aspirations about competing for a playoff spot. But this time they're approaching the finish line in the unorthodox position of the coach having already seen his option for next season picked up, while the front-office chief awaits word on whether he's staying or going.

Team president Bryan Colangelo is still waiting to hear if he'll be extended or at least have his 2013-14 option activated. Dwane Casey has one season left on his original three-year deal because his 2013-14 option was invoked after last season and, as such, would appear to be on safer ground than Colangelo.

Yet getting a dependable forecast on what the Raptors will end up doing on the bench after another season of disappointment -- with the brief lift provided by the midseason Rudy Gay trade gambit fading fast -- will be easier to project once Colangelo's fate is known. And the signals there, so far, are mixed, with the new owners who run both the Raptors and hockey's Maple Leafs still settling into town but having already fired Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke.

1) SVG. I have a post in the back of my head for why but it is very long and kind of a waste of time given it would never happen. A coach of that calibre is only walking in to a winning situation at 54 years of age.

Honestly, I'm not sure who I would like after SVG. Jordan? Scott? McMillan? All have flaws. SVG would be perfect. Ahhh shit.

I'm under the assumption (myself only) that DeRozan will be traded in the offseason along with Bargs with a starting line-up of:

Lowry
Fields
Gay
Johnson
Valanciunas

My coaching choice: SVG (don't know why he would take the gig - would sure know how to feature a big man on offence), Shaw (only because I don't think Lowry is a traditional PG and may be a good triangle candidate with Gay and Valanciunas / Johnson), McMillan.

ďThe saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.Ē - Martin Luther King

I don't really have much against Casey. Looking at those coaches makes you realize it's not really easy finding a coach. I just think that Casey is going to have a hard time establishing a successful system next year after this year's catastrophe, partly because his deal expires after next year. Never a good situation.

Anyway, I thought about it a lot, and there are guys who I think would be the right move. We'd all dream of Sloan or SVG, but they have no reason to come to Toronto at all. I think more likely options for established coaches are guys who can turn a team into a contender, even if they can't get you over the hump.
- My top options there are Byron Scott and Flip Saunders. I think both coach pretty well all around. I prefer Scott.
- Beyond that, I think some solid options are Jeff Van Gundy, who also would have no real reason to coach Toronto, but I think he loves big men (Ewing, Yao), and would seriously consider coaching JV, and Mo Cheeks (Didn't notice him on the list).
- Best untested option is Brian Shaw if the team would go that route.

*I don't put JVG in the first group because he's more of a wildcard. I think he goes to an already established team, but also think he'd give a young team a shot if he thinks he can establish a foundation around someone like JV, and possibly have a long coaching stint if he successfully builds something. In a way, this can be more attractive than going to a team expected to win, where if things don't go right, in 2-3 years he could be back out of a job. So, maybe he likes a guy like JV...or maybe he sits out another year and hopes the team that draft Wiggins asks him to be their coach.

You all realize Casey has been here only a season and a half right? honestly get it together Rap fans Casey should be fired until he has a team without Bargnani give him next season to lead them if its the same result (meaning no playoffs yet again) then there is nothing left but to fire him.

Relax people he brought here to do something with Bargnani that plane crashed and he hasnt been able to have a proper team since. As for SVG? hell no guy that bashes his own players and organization? ya thats a great person to have leading the raps... Maybe Byronn Scott if they foolishly fire Casey Raps never get anything going because there is never any continuity.